I've already done some modeling experiments with 1/72-cats. But they currently do not have the highest priority. Why? Because of my health problems I have only small times to work with the clays, cause I have to do it all slowly, always step by step. But if the cat figurines can please you, then I can think of producing them sooner than planned originally...

Fortunately I've been gently uphill in the last few days since I was pretty shaken by a bad flu since mid-January. At least it was enough to go to the workbench every now and then for a few minutes and do some manipulations. The already almost finished alligator was finished; an animal that I chose for the skin and because it was so different in phenotype from the previous species. Almost as an "exercise object". In the original he would be one of the larger, about 4.5 m long.

A good sized gator and tiny ally cat. Crocodiles for our side of the globe would suit me best,but shucks I`d mix e`m all up anyway.

Very Glad you are recovering from that awful darn flue Torsten.We had some strain of flue hit us over Christmas and New Year period.Mrs B soldiered on about the place,as did little i in my typing work, and paper cutting!That flue was very painful indeed to every bone.

THE FLUETo everyone who had it,or is suffering it,i wish you all the Best and Get Well Wishes. BB

Thank you all for your very nice comments. Since I am so much the more pleased to be able to show you today the next of the "Big Five" from Africa. This male would be in real life about 115 cm high, so his shoulder height in the model is 16 mm. The only catch on the matter: The lion is a pack animal! Well, maybe I can do it before the Dioramica to create some lionesses...

In the process of some sculptings with an experimental nature - tests of different modeling materials, tries with new tools or selection of more difficult models (alligator skin, for example) - i approached the dogs once again. Today i would like to give you an idea of where i want to go in this regard. Since some of the animals pictured may not yet be the "final version", i've not paid too much attention to the quality of the photos; i hope you nevertheless can see that i planned to lay the focus in sculpting on a higher fineness and a more pronounced detailing.

Today I will facilitate my description of this new figure by simply quoting from wikipedia:

"The domestic yak (Bos grunniens) is a long-haired domesticated bovid found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia."

"Yaks are heavily built animals with a bulky frame, sturdy legs, rounded cloven hooves, and extremely dense, long fur that hangs down lower than the belly. While wild yaks are generally dark, blackish to brown in colouration, domestic yaks can be quite variable in colour, often having patches of rusty brown and cream. They have small ears and a wide forehead, with smooth horns that are generally dark in colour. In males (bulls), the horns sweep out from the sides of the head, and then curve forward. They typically range from 48 to 99 cm (19 to 39 in) in length. The horns of females (cows) are smaller, only 27 to 64 cm (11 to 25 in) in length, and have a more upright shape. Both sexes have a short neck with a pronounced hump over the shoulders, although this is larger and more visible in males. Males weigh 350 to 580 kg (770 to 1,280 lb), females weigh 225 to 255 kg (496 to 562 lb). Depending on the breed, domestic yak males are 111–138 centimetres (44–54 in) high at the withers, while females are 105–117 centimetres (41–46 in) high at the withers."

"The yak may have diverged from cattle at any point between one and five million years ago, and there is some suggestion that it may be more closely related to bison than to the other members of its designated genus. Apparent close fossil relatives of the yak, such as Bos baikalensis, have been found in eastern Russia, suggesting a possible route by which yak-like ancestors of the modern American bison could have entered the Americas."

"The species was originally designated as Bos grunniens ("grunting ox") by Linnaeus in 1766, but this name is now generally only considered to refer to the domesticated form of the animal, with Bos mutus ("mute ox") being the preferred name for the wild species. Although some authors still consider the wild yak to be a subspecies, Bos grunniens mutus, the ICZN made an official ruling in 2003 permitting the use of the name Bos mutus for wild yaks, and this is now the more common usage."

"Except where the wild yak is considered as a subspecies of Bos grunniens, there are no recognised subspecies of yak."

"Both sexes have long shaggy hair with a dense woolly undercoat over the chest, flanks, and thighs to insulate them from the cold. Especially in bulls, this may form a long "skirt" that can reach the ground. The tail is long and horselike rather than tufted like the tails of cattle or bison. Domesticated yaks have a wide range of coat colours, with some individuals being white, grey, brown, roan or piebald. The udder in females and the scrotum in males are small and hairy, as protection against the cold."

Today there are again photos of new dogs. Two of them are Irish Wolfhound while relaxing and playing with cubs. One is modeled on the Rottweiler, the fourth has no concrete race model. For me, it was more important to capture a dynamic pose that predestined him for various vivid scenes, while hunting or fighting for example. Or whimpering, because he has stolen something edible somewhere and now threaten him blows ...

Both are well suitable for all german topics from ~ 15./16. century, the second but only until the 19th century. However better only as a mongrel...